Automatic fuel control for water heaters



Jan. 28, 1941. P. JEREB 2,229,926

AUTOMATIC FUEL CONTROL FOR WATER HEATERS Filed Nov. 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l A iiorneys Jan. 28, 1941. JEREB 2,229,926

AUTOMATIC FUEL CONTROL FOR WATER HEATERS Filed Nov. 1, B38 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l |& 5 a

A\\""\\ A r //0 ll 23 V a I /a U shin I a y 1 5 anna A v w a M I /5 Inventor Zawl fire A itorneys Patented Jan. 28, 1941 AUTOMATIC FUEL CONTROL FOR WATER HEATERS Paul Jereb, Oakland, Calif.

Application November 1 Claim.

This invention relates to automatic fuel controls for water heaters of the domestic type, and has for the primary object the provision of an efficient and inexpensive device of this character which may be easily and quickly installed on a water heater and will automatically turn. on the supply of fuel to the heater by the reduction of water pressure in the system to which the heater is connected caused by drawing or obtaining water from said system by the opening of a faucet or valve of said system and to automatically cut off the supply of fuel to said heater by the water pressure returning to normal due to the closing of the faucet or the valve of the water system.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, showing a conventional type of water heater having a fuel control connected thereto and constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the fuel control positioned to out 01f the fuel to the heater.

Figure 3 'is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the device positioned to admit fuel to the heater.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral l indicates a conventional type of water heater employed for heating water for domestic use and has a casing or housing 2 in which is arranged a coil 3 connected at its upper end with a hot water system 4 of a dwelling or the like. In this instance, the system is merely indicated by a pipe having connected thereto a valve or faucet 5 to permit obtaining hot water from. the system 4. Arranged in the housing 2 below the coil is a burner t of a standard construction and in this instance of the type for burning a gaseous fuel. However, another type of burner designed for burning liquid fuel may be employed. The housing or casing 2 rests upon a suitable support 1.

A cylinder 8 is arranged adjacent the housing 2 and support I and includes chambers 9 and i0 separated from each other by a partition I l; The chamber 9 has an. inlet port 12 screw threaded to permit connecting of a water supply pipe [3 to said chamber 9. A pipe I4 threads into the chamber 9 or one end of the cylinder and is connected to the lower end of the coil 3, thereby 1, 1938, Serial No. 238,252

establishing connection between the water supply and the system 4. v

The chamber It is internally screw threaded for a portion thereof to receive a fuel supply pipe i5 and arranged adjacent to said fuel supply pipe 5 i5 is a valve seat It threaded in. the chamber In. An outlet port I! is threaded to receive a pipe I8 connected to a. cutoif valve IQ of the burner 6. The cutoif valve i9 is of the manually actuated type and during normal operation of the device 10 is leftin an open position. The valve seat 16 is arranged between the outlet port [1 and the fuel pipe iii. The chamber If! adjacent the fuel pipe I5 is provided with an outlet port 20 to which a pipe 2! is connected. The pipe 2| connects with 15 a pilot 22 arranged adjacent the burner. Through this arrangement a continuous supply of fuel is had to the pilot.

The partition II has an. opening slidably receiving a stem 23, one end of which is arranged 20 in the chamber 9 and the other end arranged in the chamber In. A piston 24 operates in the chamber 9 and is secured to the stem. A valve 25 operates in the chamber I0 and is secured to the stem 23. A suitable packing may be pro- '25 vided between the stem and the partition H. A coil spring 26 is mounted on the stem within the chamber 9 and bears against the partition I l and the piston 24 normally acting to urge the valve away from the seat Hi.

In operation, the normal water pressure in the chamber 9 when the system 4 is closed overcomes. the action of the spring 26 and forces the valve 25 against the seat H5 closing fuel supply pipe 5 to the burner. However, when the system 4 35 is opened to receive water therefrom the water pressure in the chamber 9 lowers and the spring 26 urges the valve 25 away from the seat l6 opening the fuel supply pipe to the burner and as the pilot is always lighted the fuel ignites at 40 the burner on the opening of the fuel supply pipe to said burner. As soon as the system 4 is closed the water pressure in the chamber 9 returns to normal and brings about seating of the valve 25, consequently shutting off the supply of fuel to 45 the burner. Any suitable means may be used for preventing damage to the system if the water supply connected with the pipe 13 should fail for any reason or the pressure of the supply decrease to a point where the spring 26 would open the valve 50 25. For instance, a high temperature safety device could be used such as that shown in the patent to George A. Robertshaw, dated May 29, 1928, No. 1,671,782.

A small vent 8' is formed in the lower end of 55 the chamber 9 for the escape of any water leaked by the piston 24.

It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawings will fully'set forth the construction and advantages of the present invention to those skilled in the art to which such a device relates, so that further detailed description will not be required.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A fuel control attachment for water heaters comprising a vertically arranged tubular member having its end open and threaded and a partition extending across the tubular member dividing the same into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, a fuel pipe threaded into the lower end of the member, a pipe leading to a pilot burner threaded into the lower part of the member and receiving fuel from the fuel pipe, a valve seat threaded in the lower part of the member immediately above the pilot supply pipe, a pipe leading to a burner threaded in the lower part of the tubular member below the partition and above the valve seat, a piston slidably arranged in the upper chamber and having a stem passing through the partition, a valve connected with the lower end of the stem, spring means surrounding the stem and having one end bearing against the partition and the other end against the piston and normally tending to hold the valve off its seat to permit fuel to pass from the supply pipe into the burner pipe, a pipe leading to the coil of the heater and threaded in the upper end of the tubular member, a water supply pipe threaded into the upper part of the tubular member above the piston, engagement of the valve with the partition limiting upward movement of the piston to a point below the entrance of the water supply pipe with the tubular member and the water pressure acting to hold the piston in position with the valve closed and the spring opening the valve when water is flowing from the heating coil.

PAUL JEREB. 

